The meat kind, not the barrel kind.

TheSitRep on August 18, 2007 at 11:17 AM

Good God, Fred looks old. He looks almost as old as my dad.

Every night when his young wife goes to bed she must truly feel old age creeping upon her.

MB4 on August 17, 2007 at 5:14 PM

I liked the reference, AP, so I went back to steal it. MB4, I couldn’t agree more. Reagan was old, but he didn’t look it, and went way out of his way to prove it. My Dad is 78, and he looks a lot better than Fred.

He’s old, and he looks it.

I like Mike.

Jaibones on August 18, 2007 at 11:25 AM

Especially when even Hot Air’s Fredhead commenters are grumbling that you look old

Not old as much as unwell, imho. He looks gaunt. If I had the time I’d do some photo comparisons over the last year because every time I see him he looks less well each time. I hope I’m wrong.

TheBigOldDog on August 18, 2007 at 11:27 AM

Guys

He just got over cancer - didn’t he?

EricPWJohnson on August 18, 2007 at 11:32 AM

All this as the commenters here…

-wait for one of the three parking spaces the closest to the grocery store.

-Yell ‘Honey where is the clicker?’

-’Don’t cook, call for Pizza’

-’The trash ain’t THAT full’

Limerick on August 18, 2007 at 11:44 AM

He’s old, and he looks it.

I like Mike.

Jaibones

I saw him up close at Sean’s freedom concert in San Diego, he doesn’t look as old as he does on tv. And he does have a surprising amount of energy. I’m not saying he’s not old but frankly Law and ORder and his last tv appearances almost make him look like Emperor Palpetine

Defector01 on August 18, 2007 at 11:51 AM

OK, folks. Do you have any idea how hot it gets in Iowa in August? I am pretty close to Fred’s age, and sun and heat really take their toll, even in shorts, t-shirt and sandals (withOUT socks, thank you). Fred is in long pants.

Maybe they asked themselves whether they wanted their man to walk around soaked in sweat and therefore looking like crap and meeting fewer people or ride around in the shade of a golf cart roof and look better and meet and greet more people.

Some pretty petty crap on here today.

Longhorn Six on August 18, 2007 at 12:01 PM

Do you have any idea how hot it gets in Iowa in August? I am pretty close to Fred’s age, and sun and heat really take their toll,

Here’s John McCain, two weeks shy of turning 71 and unable to lift his arms above his head thanks to VC torture, walking around the fair in long sleeves a few days ago.

Allahpundit on August 18, 2007 at 12:04 PM

FDR was in a wheel chair and smoked cigs via a cig holder.

He served 3 terms!

Gucci loafers don’t make the man any more than faux cowboy boots make a Californian welcome in Montana.

Montana on August 18, 2007 at 12:06 PM

Montana on August 18, 2007 at 12:08 PM

Sending a case of beer, FedEx…..enjoy.

Limerick on August 18, 2007 at 12:10 PM

I care about conviction and action.

When I think of Fred Thompson, the words conviction and action spring to mind.

JackStraw on August 18, 2007 at 12:16 PM

He’s what, 68? And just getting over lymphoma. Ok, how many of you would pass on the golf cart?

I don’t give a rodent’s posterior about appearances. It’s what he stands for, and that he stands for it.

I didn’t know McCain’s shoulders had anything to do with walking, by the way.

otcconan on August 18, 2007 at 12:28 PM

Face it. Fred’s age doesn’t go in the plus category. Not saying it’s the whole story.

JiangxiDad on August 18, 2007 at 12:31 PM

Its this sort of goofy “narrative building mode” that Fred! has been avoiding by delaying his announcement. Some of you need to go cold turkey on the political gamesmenship or at least cut back. Its running your life with this “Fred was wearing Gucci!!1! Doesn’t he know that CNN and Kos are watching! They are watching!! And judging! GOLF CART!!! OH THE HUMANITY!! He should drop and give us 20 just to prove he can!”

Fred on August 18, 2007 at 12:33 PM

Age is a concern with some of the candidates… McCain and Thompson seem to be dealing with this issue. Why elect someone who may croak due to the old age and stress their first year in?

That said, I’m LDS, and our church leader, President Hinckley, is 97 and has more energy than I do sometimes… and he runs things quite well. So being old certainly doesn’t mean much. But it IS a concern if you have the energy and stamina to handle the job…. remember all the MSM attacking Reagan for falling asleep in cabinent meetings? Who needs a repeat of that?

Vanceone on August 18, 2007 at 12:39 PM

I like the fact that he presented himself in this way; I’m sure all the while knowing folks would dissect him the way they are doing. This makes him an “honest” man and one that doesn’t do something because it’s what expected. There’s nothing that ticks me off more than seeing some liberal at a local shindig professing to be “everyman” when every thinking person knows they are two faced back stabbers. No, I like the fact that he rode in on his steed, looking like a knight (compared to the others) and made his presence known.

rayvet on August 18, 2007 at 12:43 PM

There’s nothing that ticks me off more than seeing some liberal at a local shindig professing to be “everyman” when every thinking person knows they are two faced back stabbers.

“Can I get me a huntin’ license?”

JiangxiDad on August 18, 2007 at 12:48 PM

“Fred was wearing Gucci!!1! Doesn’t he know that CNN and Kos are watching! They are watching!! And judging! GOLF CART!!! OH THE HUMANITY!! He should drop and give us 20 just to prove he can!”

Your right, to prove he’s really a man of the people he should foreclose on a Katrina survivor’s house then kick him in the butt as he’s leaving then proclaim there’s two Americas

Defector01 on August 18, 2007 at 12:51 PM

I had a great-great-aunt live to be 114. She was as spry as anything, and her mind was pretty sharp when she crossed the river. This is a presidential campaign, not a beauty contest. How does he stand on the issues, regardless if he has to use a walker, is what matters.

Texas Nick 77 on August 18, 2007 at 12:52 PM

If Fred uses the device to clap his lights on and off it’s over. I just hope the cart had a/c.

moonsbreath on August 18, 2007 at 12:53 PM

well he is supposed to be the down home candidate, the bush 2008 candidate, so the gucci loafers are just a stark contrast to the Bush boots.

zane on August 18, 2007 at 12:41 PM

I guess if he wanted to show he was “one of the people” walking around the fair, he should have gone to Wal-Mart and gotten a pair of white athletic shoes. Would that make everybody happy?

Mallard T. Drake on August 18, 2007 at 12:56 PM

his is a presidential campaign, not a beauty contest. How does he stand on the issues, regardless if he has to use a walker, is what matters.

Texas Nick 77 on August 18, 2007 at 12:52 PM

True. But since he has insisted on running this silly shadow “I’m not really a candidate, wink, wink” candidacy, then all we can judge him on is what he does say and how he does act. He’s running for the Presidency in a time of war. This isn’t a game and images matter. Remember how Reagan wouldn’t take his jacket off in the Oval Office? Fred has no problem using the equally empty images of him as the hard charging DA or the “Ruskies don’t take a dump without a plan” Navy Captain. He didn’t seem to have a problem sending his ex-girlfriends out to take about his strong arms and soft, broad shoulders.

What I’m sick of is the duplicity of the Fredheads who pick apart every other candidate but want Fred to somehow be off limits to critique and criticism. If he’s a candidate then he is subject to the same scrutiny as every other candidate. If he’s not then take the golf cart to back nine.

JackStraw on August 18, 2007 at 12:58 PM

Each and every Democrat cadidate is either a Communist, Socialist, anti-military or a combination of all three and yet here on our side of the aisle, we are criticizing our candidates for wearing certain shoes and riding in golf carts?
Michael in MI on August 18, 2007 at 12:49 PM

Exactly. We’re doing the same thing Dems do in reverse. The Dem candidates are disasters waiting to happen for America but their side coos “So, who cares, she’s a woman (Hillary and Edwards)”, or “He’s black, er, sort of, uh, who cares?!” (H. Obama). Our side says “pretty good politics but he’s riding in a golf cart. Next!”

JWS on August 18, 2007 at 1:00 PM

What I’m sick of is the duplicity of the Fredheads who pick apart every other candidate but want Fred to somehow be off limits to critique and criticism. If he’s a candidate then he is subject to the same scrutiny as every other candidate….

JackStraw on August 18, 2007 at 12:58 PM

Oh stop it. I guess Mitt’s Mutts don’t show any duplicity when their candidate is criticized. Pulezee. Let me know when any of the GOP candidates have had to endure the MSM tabloid treatment e.g. the trophy wife/domineering wife story; the lazy story; the too old story; the shoe story; the cart story.

Mallard T. Drake on August 18, 2007 at 1:05 PM

Mallard T. Drake on August 18, 2007 at 1:05 PM

C’mon man. You can’t be serious. NOBODY gives a rat’s a** about his shoes or cart. This is a non-story on one of those MSM created no-news days.

JiangxiDad on August 18, 2007 at 1:09 PM

Hey now, there’s nothing wrong with the butter cow.

brak on August 18, 2007 at 1:11 PM

I’m with Montana and the others who think this story is tabloidian. My estimation of Fred will be based on the issues and how well he is able to articulate and defend them. On the other hand, I don’t have a lot of confidence in Fred anymore and hope that Newt jumps in quick if Fred doesn’t cut it.

FloatingRock on August 18, 2007 at 1:16 PM

Hey AP, Rudy just coughed and didn’t cover his mouth! What are we going to do?!

JWS on August 18, 2007 at 1:17 PM

What I’m sick of is the duplicity of the Fredheads who pick apart every other candidate but want Fred to somehow be off limits to critique and criticism. If he’s a candidate then he is subject to the same scrutiny as every other candidate. If he’s not then take the golf cart to back nine.

JackStraw on August 18, 2007 at 12:58 PM

I agree with you here, JackStraw. However, I don’t consider this “scrutiny”. This is just plain stupid and tabloid. Whether it is Fred Thompson or Rudy Giuliani or Hillary Clinton. I expect the mass media and the left to focus on meaningless tabloid nonsense like this that does not have anything to do with a President’s (or Presidential candidate’s policies), but I have come to expect a LOT more of conservatives and anti-idiotarians and the “right”.

I am tired of the “rah rah Go (insert your favorite candidate here)!” mentality regarding EVERY candidate at this point. NONE of them are “rah rah!” worthy, in my opinion.

But I am also sick of this so called “scrutiny”. Why are we denigrating ourselves to what the mass media deem “scrutiny”?

The great appeal of the conservative, anti-idiotarian and military blogs, to me, has been that they stepped outside the box and discussed politics, the news and military matters from a different perspective from the “mainstream” and discussed important matters that the mass media did not give proper attention and focus. I felt that they were raising the level of discussion and debate from the childish nonsense and pure BS propaganda put out by the mass media to a new level of mature discussion of important topics and issues of our day.

But reading things like this make me feel that the blogs are now more concerned with “popularity” and “readership” and getting lots of comments, instead of focusing on the good debate and discussion of important issues that made them gain readership and popularity in the first place.

Personally, I want the political discussion to be raised to a better level. I don’t care about SEN Obama’s ears nor SEN Clinton’s pantsuit nor John Edwards’ hair. (The whole “silky pony” stuff is immature, childish and has nothing to do with his domestic policies nor his understanding of the Islamic threat and focusing on his hair just makes people look childish and not serious about discussing politics, in my opinion).

I just find it ironic that blogs criticize the media for focusing on tabloid nonsense like this and then here I come to HotAir to read some mature, intelligent discussion of the important issues of our day only to find… tabloid nonsense just like the mass media.

Michael in MI on August 18, 2007 at 1:21 PM

But I am also sick of this so called “scrutiny”. Why are we denigrating ourselves to what the mass media deem “scrutiny”?

I’m not. I consider this a joke. But it’s fun as hell on a lazy Saturday to poke the Fredheads and watch their righteous indignation.

It’s either this or poke a ferret in cage and I’m fresh out of ferrets.

JackStraw on August 18, 2007 at 1:27 PM

Again, let’s lay off the tabloid news folks. What I care about is his policy direction, his character, and his motives.

I don’t give a rat’s ass about which candidate walked around a local fair. I really don’t care about pandering and posing, I care about conviction and action.

Tabloid crap.

Montana on August 18, 2007 at 12:08 PM

You’re absolutely right, of course.

But good God, man … the election is still 15 months away - almost a year and a half from now. An eternity. Almost an entire term in the House of Reps.

So what else does the political chattering class have to talk about?

Sure, its stupid. But what else is there?

Brace yourself, because its only going to get worse. It’s going to take another 9/11 before we remember the actual point of all this.

Til’ then …. welcome to the LindsayLohanification of America. Do what I do - just drink a lot.

Professor Blather on August 18, 2007 at 1:30 PM

And do me a favor, let me know when any candidate had to be questioned non-stop about his religion as if it mattered to the office.

JackStraw on August 18, 2007 at 1:16 PM

I agree up to a point about the scrutiny of Mitt’s Mormonism. This is a more significant issue than Fred!’s shoes. This is something that has shaped your candidate’s view of life and his values. If Mitt is not going to prostylitize from the Oval Office, then no problem. His values are miles ahead of any of the Dim’s candidates. And none of the Dims get asked about their religion, or lack of religion.

What irks me about Mitt’s Mutts is how they are willing to go along with the MSM’s tabliod attacks about Fred! in particular, and any GOP nominee in general, because it furthers the chances of their candidate. In my view, these tabloid attacks on any GOP candidate is an attack on all GOP candidates and we should not be supporting or encouraging it. Debating policy and values, yes; carrying water for the MSM about a candidates “trophy wife, no.

Mallard T. Drake on August 18, 2007 at 1:31 PM

I’m not. I consider this a joke. But it’s fun as hell on a lazy Saturday to poke the Fredheads and watch their righteous indignation.

JackStraw on August 18, 2007 at 1:27 PM

Out of curiosity …. was that intentional self-parody, or were you being ironic?

I mean, considering you’d bleated out your own righteous indignation not 10 minutes before:

And do me a favor, let me know when any candidate had to be questioned non-stop about his religion as if it mattered to the office.

JackStraw on August 18, 2007 at 1:16 PM

I’m just curious as to whether I’m laughing with you … or at you?

Professor Blather on August 18, 2007 at 1:36 PM

But good God, man … the election is still 15 months away - almost a year and a half from now. An eternity. Almost an entire term in the House of Reps.

Really? And here I was thinking the primaries were right around the corner.

What irks me about Mitt’s Mutts is how they are willing to go along with the MSM’s tabliod attacks about Fred! in particular, and any GOP nominee in general, because it furthers the chances of their candidate.

I suppose it all depends on who’s ox is being gored. I don’t remember a whole lot of people aside from Romney’s supporters coming to his defense about the Mormon slur. Just the opposite. The social con voters, a large part being evangelical, keep throwing out the cult crap. They do that because they favor another candidate.

If people want a more substanitive primary, they have to contribute to it, not just complain when their candidate is getting the treatment.

JackStraw on August 18, 2007 at 1:42 PM

Some of you need to go cold turkey on the political gamesmenship or at least cut back. Its running your life with this “Fred was wearing Gucci!!1! Doesn’t he know that CNN and Kos are watching! They are watching!! And judging! GOLF CART!!! OH THE HUMANITY!! He should drop and give us 20 just to prove he can!”

Fred on August 18, 2007 at 12:33 PM

What? Thompson isn’t jumping through hoops to appease his critics?

I thought Fred Thompson was always saying he’s going to be “another George Bush?” Looks like Fred broke yet another promise he never made - the bastard!

Well, I guess we should just count ourselves lucky that we still have ten candidates who have spent the past year PROVING their willingness to uphold the tradition.

…And maybe one of them will even be able to compete with the leftists on this basis. Sure it’s a tiny bit hard to surpass the manic energy level of people like Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin or Hillary Clinton. Let’s face it, fanatic Socialist empire-building zeitgeist has never been the Republican Party’s strong point in the past. But, hey, maybe we’ll get lucky this time.

logis on August 18, 2007 at 1:44 PM

I’m not. I consider this a joke. But it’s fun as hell on a lazy Saturday to poke the Fredheads and watch their righteous indignation.

It’s either this or poke a ferret in cage and I’m fresh out of ferrets.

JackStraw on August 18, 2007 at 1:27 PM

Well, hmmm. The criticism of Fred Thompson here is that he should be aware that the Left is watching him and he shouldn’t be wearing certain shoes or riding in golf carts, because they will use that against him.

Meanwhile, the Left is also watching Conservative, “right-wing” and anti-idiotarian blogs to find out how they can criticize the GOP candidates. Oh yeah, and our enemies are watching too.

This post just gives them more ammunition. And no, they won’t consider the “context” that this is just a bunch of conservatives having some fun on a lazy Saturday. They will use this as reason not to vote for Fred Thompson.

Which goes back to my original point: we are criticizing our candidates based on the shoes they wear and riding in golf carts. And criticizing the opponents for having big ears, silky hair and wearing pantsuits.

Meanwhile our enemies (both foreign and domestic) are working their tails off to destroy us from within and from the outside.

But hey, let’s disqualify the future leader of the free world against the Communists and jihadists within America and the jihadists and terrorists outside of America based on their clothes, their hair and their ears.

For the record, I have lost patience with Fred Thompson not officially getting into the race and when he hired Spencer Abraham in whatever capacity he did for his campaign. And, as I already stated, I have tired of the childish “silky pony” and “pantsuit” critiques of John Edwards and SEN Clinton as well as any of the ridiculous petty attacks on SEN Obama.

I would have hoped that most of us would want to raise the level of discourse and debate concerning politics in order for people to take it more seriously. In my opinion, the reason people (whether mass media or blogs) focus on petty nonsense like this is because they are trying to distract from the serious issues.

Michael in MI on August 18, 2007 at 1:48 PM

As for that ‘I’m tired of the Fred!heads crying foul’ crud….

Horsepotatos-critize all you want. Fred!Rudy!Mitt!Hunter!Tanc!McCain!….doesn’t matter….what I object to is the supermarket checkout-counter tabloid headline ‘Gucci Shoes Added’ ‘Click the heals together three times Fred!’….

pleaseeeeeeeeeeee

Bag him all you want for holding back, lobbying, but his shoes?….gimme a break.

Limerick on August 18, 2007 at 1:56 PM

He (Fred) passes my test, why walk a lousy, hot, crowded fair when you can ride? What fool wants to “walk among the people”. If you have ever ridden a motorcyle through a backed up traffic jam, you know the good feeling.

And all of you Mitt heads, cut out the “Mormon victim card”, okay? JFK did the Catholic card, Carter the evangelical card, Nixon the Quaker card (that was a little messy, Quaker and war do not mix), Bush and the Christian card. They all were attacked (much more than Mitt the Mormon) grow up, he can handle it…so should you. If you can’t handle it, spend your missionary days in France, that will toughen you up.

Oh, and just in case you forgot, wasn’t there a guy named Pat Robertson who ran for president? No one ever mention his religous affiliation?

Mitt is a minor leaguer in the religion victim game.

right2bright on August 18, 2007 at 1:59 PM

Bag him all you want for holding back, lobbying, but his shoes?….gimme a break.

Limerick on August 18, 2007 at 1:56 PM

Exactly.

Michael in MI on August 18, 2007 at 2:04 PM

It looks like the blogs are now getting just as pathetic and tabloid as the media now that they are becoming more popular and focusing on “readership” and number of comments instead of the good content of their blog.
Michael in MI on August 18, 2007 at 12:49 PM

Blogs are media, and at their heart all media are the same: the goal is quantity, not quality.

People can say the most asinine things imaginable - in fact, that’s even encouraged because that “stimulates communication.” But if you say something that makes any of the idiots feel bad about themselves, you’re treading on thin ice.

It’s not some kind of incredibly massive coincidence that over 90% of mass media are liberal; that’s just the nature of the beast. And it always will be.

logis on August 18, 2007 at 2:08 PM

“…Is it too much to ask?…”

Michael in MI on August 18, 2007 at 1:57 PM

I think it is. We are reaping what years of MTV and ESPN have sown. I know there has always been pettiness, but look around: where the hell are the adults? 50 year old’s with their hats on backwards, housewives walking around with their fat bellys sticking out of their shirts. Our politicians give whatever their followers want. Hot, serious issues like golf carts are out there so…

JWS on August 18, 2007 at 2:17 PM

what I object to is the supermarket checkout-counter tabloid headline ‘Gucci Shoes Added’ ‘Click the heals together three times Fred!’….

pleaseeeeeeeeeeee

Bag him all you want for holding back, lobbying, but his shoes?….gimme a break.

Limerick on August 18, 2007 at 1:56 PM

I think the biggest problem with Bush although he says the right things, he doesn’t project that well enough to get past the MSM filter to convince people of the need for his policies. When I see Fred? being driven around in a golf cart, mumbling incoherently, and wearing a feminine brand of shoe all at a state fair, it’s not looking good for him being someone who takes a command position on the national stage. Say what you want about the Shrillary, she projects her opinions forcefully. A large chunk of the population would appreciate that.

pedestrian on August 18, 2007 at 2:22 PM

I don’t see how anyone could appreciate anything about Hillary.

Rose on August 18, 2007 at 2:25 PM

The apologists, AS USUAL, miss the entire relevance of this.

fred? is a fake and a liar. When he ran for the senate in 1994 he was behind in the polls. So what did this fake jagoff do? He went and rented himself a red pickup truck, donned bluejeans and flannel shirts and insisted everyone call him “Old Fred”. He won by a landslide. What makes it worse is he would drive his fancy Washington insider luxury car to within a few blocks of his rallys where a staffer was waiting with the pickup. They’d switch cars and “good old fred” would show up at the rally. They would reverse the process after the rally. So fred? has always been a Washington insider and a scumbag lobbyist, but has fooled gullible folks for years.

Now, here we have freddie boy, showing up in Iowa looking like death warmed over, wearing high falutin threads riding in style amongst the rabble. The question is WHY?

WHY would this lying fake do more damage to his carefully crafted facade (that was working really well with the groupies) by showing up looking like that?

Bad advice?
He lost his luggage and had to borrow clothes?
He thought he was in Washington?

OR, is the answer in his past? A past that includes waffling on a senate run while raking in contributions, only to bow out at nearly the last minute and take those contributions and funnel them to his son through a PAC that basically did nothing.

Here we have fred? with a campaign war chest of $3.4 mil that he collected from gullible groupies who thought he was still “good old fred”. And fred? is now doing everything he can to kill that image. Clearly if his non-campaign hits the skids, he’s gonna have to do something with that $3.4 mil. Does he have to return it, or does he get to convert it into another PAC? And if he does convert it to another “Fred Thompson PAC” does anyone really doubt who will be hired to run it?

So, you apologists have to ask yourself one simple question: Why is fred? wrecking the facade he has carefully crafted since 1992?

Enquiring minds want to know!

csdeven on August 18, 2007 at 2:27 PM

I want a President that looks and acts like a President. This is FAR better than wandering in the woods with a gun like Kerry did. He looked and acted totally out of his element. Fred! looked in his element, even at a county fair.

CrimsonFisted on August 18, 2007 at 2:28 PM

Just as the mass media chooses not to pass along any progress or success in Iraq.

Michael in MI on August 18, 2007 at 2:03 PM

That’s a good point about the MSM, except that I don’t think it applies secondhand to HotAir. When I read through this thread I don’t get the impression that anyone has changed his or her opinion of Fred as a result of this story. People who read political blogs aren’t likely to be swayed without sufficient reason based on their own estimation, regardless of Allahpundit’s analysis or the content of the videos.

Besides, the more a story like this one shapes peoples opinions, the farther it moves out of the tabloid category and into the news category. Consider that video of Dukakis driving in that tank.

FloatingRock on August 18, 2007 at 2:28 PM

csdeven on August 18, 2007 at 2:27 PM

Can you give us some links or something?

JiangxiDad on August 18, 2007 at 2:33 PM

The apologists,

-csdeven

LOL….puts us right up their with Emperor Worshippers(Hakko ichiu!) and Hitler Youth……

Limerick on August 18, 2007 at 2:34 PM

Here it is with the proper formatting………

csdeven on August 18, 2007 at 2:27 PM

[Fred? style attack on Mitt] After Mitt loses the nomination, what is he going to do with his campaign funds, funnel it into the Morman Church to further their agenda to infiltrate society with their cult teachings? [/Fred? style attack on Mitt].

Not that I am indignant. Just want to poke some fun. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it…………

Mallard T. Drake on August 18, 2007 at 2:35 PM

Mallard T. Drake on August 18, 2007 at 2:37 PM